Adventures in Fruitiness

As a chronic Weight Watcher I eat a great deal of fruit. I should eat a lot of fruits and veges anyway, whether I’m a Weight Watcher or not, but the truth is, when I think dessert, I’d usually much rather have ice cream or a cookie or a piece of cake. However, I try to be good, so I eat a lot of fruit. I like the fresh, frozen and canned varieties so I think I can rightly be considered a “connoisseur” in the world of fruits.

The other day, while shopping, I decided to venture outside my usual apple, orange, banana, watermelon, pineapple et al varieties and try something different. Maybe y’all have already tried Asian Apple Pears and I’m way behind on my fruit coolness factor. However, I have just never gotten around to checking them out for no particular reason. But this week, I decided to give them a shot.

I’m a pretty adventuresome eater so I’m usually willing to try new things at least once, and if it doesn’t kill me or make me sick, I may be back for more. Therefore, when I saw apple pears in the market, I thought I’d give them a try. What the heck! I like apples and I like pears, so how bad could they be?

Well, they are not bad at all. In fact, they are downright delicious. They are extremely crisp which, in my book, is a big plus for fruit. I hate mushy fruit. They are sweet and tangy combining the best attributes of both the apple and the pear. The only thing I would recommend to those growers who are busily cross-pollinating different fruits is this: work on the color thing. Apples and pears are various lovely shades of green or red. This apple pear fruit is a rather strange looking tan-brown on the outside. Not overly appetizing to look at but very delicious to eat. Inside it is white just like an apple or a pear. Try them. If you like apples or pears, you will like this combo fruit. Expand your horizons!!

Here’s a “formal” description of this very tasty fruit: “Also called Apple Pear, Chinese Pear, Sand Pear or Nashi. Asian Pear is the generic name for over 25 different varieties of this "true pear." Although the outside appearance of each Asian Pear may differ, all Asian Pears are crunchy, juicy and sweet. Thought to originally come to the United States via Chinese immigrants, most Asian Pears are now grown in California, Oregon, and Washington. Depending on the variety, Asian Pears may be considerably large or somewhat small. Their color may vary from yellow to brown, and their skin may be smooth or speckled. Some of the most popular varieties generally can be described as: Hosui (Golden Russet Brown), Kosui (Golden Russet), Nijiseiki or Twentieth Century (Yellow-Green), Shinseiki (Yellow), Shinsui (Russet Brown). Chilled or cooked, Asian Pears from always make a wonderful addition to any meal!”